Date

Repository

Conditions Governing Access note

Preferred Citation Note

[Identification of item], Wilson Family Photographic Collection, PA62W8, Special Collections, University of Kentucky.

Extent

4 cu. ft. (9 boxes): 1012 images

Biography/History

Judge Samuel Mackay Wilson (1871-1946) was a Lexington attorney and author, noted for his meticulous scholarship and precise writing style. He was also a collector of books, manuscripts, maps, and photographs. Wilson's main area of interest was early Kentucky history.

Wilson's most famous case was his defense of Kentucky Secretary of State Caleb Powers. Powers was charged in connection with the assassination of Kentucky Governor William Goebel in 1899. After serving as a judge-advocate during World War I, Wilson returned to Kentucky, where he established a successful law practice.

Judge Wilson served on numerous civic commissions, where he was active in historical preservation. Wilson played an important role in the preservation of the Henry Clay Estate, Blue Licks Battlefield, and Fort Boonesboro.

Wilson organized the Cakes and Ale Club, an annual gathering of Lexingtonians interested in book collecting. He was also a member of the Book Thieves, an organization of local historians and educators who were influential in the creation and development of Special Collections and Archives at the University of Kentucky.

After Wilson's death in 1946, his extensive collection of books, photographs, and personal papers were donated to the University of Kentucky. The Wilson Collection is the foundation on which Special Collections and Archives has been built. Following Mrs. Wilson's death in 1959, the items which she had retained were added to the collection.

Scope and Content

The Wilson Family Photographic Collection, ca. 1840-1959 consists of 1012 images of Kentucky events, architecture, and portraits. Included are images relating to Judge Wilson's work with historic preservation, the Books Thieves, and portraits of the Shelby family. Photographic processes represented in the collection include: daguerreotypes, tintypes, ambrotypes, silver prints, engravings, and newspaper clippings.

"This is the mtg. time that all have of the 'Book Thieves' Club were each at a meeting and this was at the home of Thomas D.Clark, on Tahoma Road. March 24, 1944. J. Winston Coleman Jr."; L to R, standing: S.M. Wilson, H.L. Donovan, J.S. Chambers, T.D. Clark and J.W. Coleman; Seated: C.R. Staples, C.W. Trapp, W.H. Townsend and F.L. McVey; "Photo by Winston Coleman; Lexington, KY.", 1944-03-24

"Henry Clay as a young man; From a miniature now in possession of Mrs. John Clay, of Lexington, Kentucky.", [n.d.]

"Henry Clay as an old man from a daguerreotype, now in the possession of Mrs. Robert Dick Wilson, of Princeton, NJ.", [n.d.]

Engraving of Henry Clay: "Engraved by W.H. Dougal, by permission for the use of Congress, from a Bust by H.H. Brown of N.Y. in the possession of Cadwalader Ringgold, U.L.N. Daguerreotype by Whitehurst. Washington, D.C. 1852.", 1852

"Group standing by site of abandoned saltwater wall, near middle of 'piece of low ground remarkable for English grass,' on Grassy Lick Creek in Montgomery County, KY.", 1924-04-12

"A view of the Right-hand Farm of Grassy Lick Creek taken from the bridge a short distance above the forks of Grassy Lick Creek. The direction is northeast, and the bottom beyond the boy standing by the post is where the 'Grassy Lick' was located in the farms of Grassy Lick Creek.", 1924-04-12

"Luther B. Mason (Senior and Junior) standing at site of former salt and sulfur wall in the forks of Grassy Lick Creek. This was the orig. location of the Grassy Lick, which probably included the entire bottom in the forks.", 1924-04-12

"Looking down the left hand Fork of Grassy Lick Creek from the bridge a short distance above the forks, near Grassy Lick Post Office.", 1924-04-12

"On top of the hill south of and above the forks of Grassy Lick. The old oak tree marks the approximate location of the original Methodist Meeting house. The old burying ground adjacent to the church lot is covered by brush and briars just beyond and East and northeast of the large oak tree.", 1924-04-12

"A view, looking northwest, of the 'piece of low ground remarkable for English Grass'", 1924-04-12

Church, duplicate of "Grassy Lick Methodist Episcopal Church, a brick building now about 75 [seventy-five] years old. The big tree is a black walnut, probably well over a hundred years old, about 150 [one hundred fifty] yards due West of this building and on top of the hill is the old burying ground and church lot where the original 'Methodist Meeting-house' stood. The burying ground occupies about an acre and is still reserved.", 1924-04-12

Duplicate of #101; "The 'piece of low ground remarkable for English grass,' on Grassy Lick Creek in Montgomery County, KY.", 1924-04-12

Two men in field at Grassy Lick, [n.d.]

"Grassy Lick Methodist Episcopal Church, a brick building now about 75 [seventy-five] years old. The big tree is a black walnut, probably well over a hundred years old, about 150 [one hundred fifty] yards due West of this building and on top of the hill is the old burying ground and church lot where the original 'Methodist Meeting-house' stood. The burying ground occupies about an acre and is still reserved.", 1924-04-12

"The Rev. Horace Holley, L.L.D.", [n.d.]

Engraving of "The Principal Building of Transylvania University, inscribed to President Holley", [n.d.]

Horses

"Epinard. G.B.K."; On information sheet: "Epinard and War feathers pics made at James Cox Brady's sale. The sale was at Dixiana but the Brady farm was called Hamilton Farm. akb 10-8-62. Nursery sale acc't.", 1928-03-12

"Feathers, G.B.K." A note about the sale is also on film. On information sheet: "Epinard and War feathers pics made at James Cox Brady's sale. The sale was at Dixiana but the Brady farm was called Hamilton Farm. akb 10-8-62. Nursery sale acc't.", 1928-03-12

"House of Denton Jacques near Green Spring, Indiana. Spring (No.15) District, Washington, Co., Maryland. In a dell just south of Fairview (Old North) Mountain on the 'Old Allegheny Road.' about two miles east of Old Fort Forderials. Built 1755. Note: The wing in the [?] was a separate building originally, but was moved in later years by present owners to the position shown. Picture taken 1926.", 1926

"James Howard; Mountain home on Straight Creek of the Cumberland River.", [n.d.]

"This is a picture of the first piece of a Road constructed in the State of Kentucky. The view was taken from a point about one-half mile from town. The Old Lords of 'The Road' (Landlords of Note): William Bickly, Corbin Gallegher, Amos Butler, George Harrington, George Payne, Fairview; Holliday, Blue Licks; 'Governor' Herndon, Mayslick; Rankins, 'Throckmortons;' Edward Martin; Stitt (Millersburg); Talbot (Paris); 'Doggetts' (Blue Licks). Descriptions of these old taverns of the early and middle years of the last century would give a lively conception of the social life of The Road at that period." , [n.d.]

Portrait of Painting of "King Solomon" (letter on back by Mrs. Elizabeth Roe), [n.d.]

Postcard with photo of painting of "King Solomon", [n.d.]

Photo of painting of William "King" Solomon, [n.d.]

Knox, John

"John Knox. Engraved by B. Holl. From a Picture in the possession of Lord Somerville. Under the Superintendence of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. London. Published by Charles Knight. Ludgate Street.", [n.d.]

Memorial erected by DAR of Lexington, KY in 1890, to the Successful Defense of the Spring in 1782, [n.d.]

"House on West Short Street, in Lexington, Kentucky, adjoining the Catholic parsonage, which occupies the site of the birthplace of Mary Todd Lincoln. The parsonage is to the right of the picture and, of course, has Mt. Alvon in it. The building in the picture is now the home of the Lexington Orphan Asylum." Parker house, [n.d.]

Judge Wilson presiding at a military service at a courthouse, 1942-09-10

Judge Samuel M. Wilson speaking at the presentation of a statue dedicated to the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1930-11-19

"These six tablets presented to the Henderson County Historical Society for the county of Henderson, Kentucky, by Robert Worth Bingham and unveiled October 11, 1929. Commemorate the services to the nation of the Transylvania Company and its President, Richard Henderson, for whom the city and county are named.", [n.d.]

Photo of plaque. "Rev. John Lythe conducting the first Christian service in Kentucky; Sunday, May 28, 1775; the Transylvania fort, the the 'divine elm'; Religious freedom. Two hundred of the pioneers of the colony of Transylvania knelt and offered up thanksgiving to the Creator for His blessings." , [n.d.]

Photo of plaque. "James Hogg;1775; emissary from the colony of Transylvania to Continental Congress. Petitions that Transylvania be received as the fourteenth American colony. Jefferson wished free government established back of Virginia. John Adams declines to support the dangerous independence and republican notions of the Transylvanians.", [n.d.]

Photo of plaque. "March 31, 1797. General Samuel Hopkins as agent and attorney in fact for the Transylvania Co. with Colonel Thomas Allen, their surveyor, laid off the town of Henderson, name for Richard Henderson, President of the Transylvania Co., called Richard Henderson & Co., twelve years after his death. Boonesborough, Nashville, Henderson, daughters of the Transylvania Company.", [n.d.]

Photo of plaque. "'All power is originally in the people.' Richard Henderson, Governor of Transylvania, addressing the first Kentucky Legislature at the Transylvania Fort, Boonesborough, Kentucky, May 23, 1775. The Founders of western democracy who were followed by Thomas Jefferson; 'Power belongs to the people.' and Andrew Jackson--'The people must rule.'", [n.d.]

Photo of plaque. "The treaty of Watauga at Sycamore Shoals, March 14, 1775. Largest real estate transaction between private individuals and Indian tribes in American history. The Transylvania Co. purchased from the Cherokee 20,000,000 [twenty million] acres in NC,VA,TN, and KY to establish an independent government and open Kentucky to settlement. Present at Chas. Robertson's Fort; Proprietors: Henderson, Thomas and Nathaniel Hart, Williams, Luttrell.; 5 [five[ chiefs, 1200 [twelve hundred] Indians, 200 [two hundred] pioneers.; March 10, 1775, Henderson sent Boone with 30 [thirty] axemen to cut Transylvania Trail from Long Island of Holston R. to future site of Boonesborough, [n.d.]

Tintype (70-72)

Adult female, c. 1857; hand colored in a Union case; Listed and described in 19th Century Photographs, a catalogue from UK Special Collections, 1857

Child, female, c. 1856-1900; hand colored and cased; also a tintype of a young boy, inserted in the facing cushion of the case; both listed and described in 19th Century Photographs, a catalogue from UK Special Collections, [n.d.]

Baby in carriage; Man in garden; Baby walking outdoors, [n.d.]

Baby on bed; Young girl seated on steps; Young boy in garden, [n.d.]

The Shelby's on camels at the pyramids: "The Shelbys wish you good luck, and invite you to share the laughter of the gods over the way they went many a mile for a camel, which was not so good when they got it!"; Woman with a dog, [n.d.]

Crowd in front of Ashland being addressed; Samuel M. Wilson is on the stage, [n.d.]

Crowd in front of Ashland being addressed, [n.d.]

Statue of Henry Clay, [n.d.]

Engraving bust of Henry Clay: "Engraved by W.H. Dougal, by permission for the use of Congress, from a Bust by H.H. Brown of NY in the possession of Cadwalader Ringgold, U.S.N. Daguerreotype by Whitehurst. Washington, D.C. 1852. Printed by H.C. Benner", [n.d.]

"The Clay Monument at Lexington, Kentucky. Photogravure after a Recent Photograph.", [n.d.]

"The Birth Place of Henry Clay. Hanover Co., VA", [n.d.]

Engraving of monument to Henry Clay. "'Upon the Cumberland Road stands a large and beautiful monument of stone, surrounded by the Genius of Liberty, and inscribed with the name of Henry Clay.' Prentice's Life of Clay. W. Thomas. dd.", [n.d.]